Want to use Your Own Smartphone for Work? Think Again

Agencies are slowly giving feds the green light to use their personal smartphones and tablet computers to get work done.

But that freedom may come at a cost in terms of less control over the device, no reimbursement for phone charges, and restrictions on apps that can be installed.

"The employee has to understand that they are going to lose some of their privacy rights, [and] there will have to be a tradeoff for the convenience of using their personal device," said Rob Burton, a former federal executive and now partner at the Venable law firm. Burton advises government contractors on their mobile policies.